Opossums are not related to Rats. They are Marsupials just like the Kangaroo!
The opossum is America's only Marsupial!
“a mammal of an order whose members are born incompletely developed and are typically carried and suckled in a pouch on the mother's belly. Marsupials are found mainly in Australia and New Guinea, although three families, including the opossums, live in America.”
Although the Opossum can look a bit like a rat they are not in the Rodent family.
Opossums are Marsupials
Despite its appearance, the opossum is not related to the rat. In fact, the opossum is a marsupial, or “pouched” mammal, and is therefore related to other marsupials such as the kangaroo and the koala. Like kangaroos and koalas, infant opossums stay inside the mother's pouch to nurse and develop.
Opossums start our incredibly small, and are called Jelly beans
“Know what I mean Jelly bean?”
Newborn opossums are about the size of a grain of rice. They cannot see, but will scramble from their birthplace under their mother's tail, and wriggle across her hairy belly to the safety of her pouch. Most do not survive the journey, as the youngsters must find a nipple, and there are only 13 nipples. So from the very start they have obstacles to even survive.
Their will to live is an inspiration in itself!
Stay tuned for more on a babies journey from jellybean to joey. The Opossum is truly Awesome!
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